Dubai Golden VISA Awardee, Gaganjeet Bhullar (Ind), shot a four under par 67 to secure his place in round two of the LIV Golf Promotions at Riyadh Golf Club, Saudi Arabia. A total of 21 players made it through the opening round on Friday, including Jon Rahm’s former college roommate Max Rottluff, rising stars from Brazil and Hong Kong, and a Mexican golfer who played with borrowed clubs.

These 21 players will now join 28 others who received exemptions into the second round at Riyadh Golf Club. The leaderboard will be reset, with only the top 20 players (no ties) advancing to the 36-hole final day on Saturday. The winner of the LIV Golf Promotions will earn a spot in the 2025 LIV Golf League, while the top 10 and ties will receive exemptions into all International Series events next year.

Gaganjeet Bhullar, the Dubai Golden Visa Awardee, achieved the qualifying score of four under par, 67, to move to round two. “I made it through – what a relief,” Bhullar told Khaleej Times. “I holed a 20-footer on the last. My goal is to repeat the performance in round two as the whole field starts again at level par.”

The course, according to Bhullar, is playing better than last week’s International Series – Riyadh on the Asian Tour, and the greens are much improved. “Another important round of golf for us all in round two – wish me luck!”

Korea’s Jeunghun Wang topped the first-round leaderboard with a 7-under 64, while five players shared second place by shooting 65, and nine players shot 66. The final six players advanced on the cutline by shooting four-under 67, eliminating the remaining 43 players from the tournament.

Hong Kong’s rising star, 24-year-old Taichi Kho, was among those at 6 under, highlighted by an eagle at the par-5 15th after a 355-yard drive. Germany’s Max Rottluff also shot 6-under, with five birdies in his last seven holes. Rottluff, who won the 2023 UAE Challenge on the Challenge Tour, played collegiately at Arizona State with Jon Rahm.

Mexico’s 22-year-old Jose Islas, who turned pro earlier this year, shot 66 using borrowed clubs after his own equipment failed to arrive in Riyadh. Brazil’s Fred Biondi and Spain’s Luis Masaveu both posted bogey-free 66s. The threesome of Ireland’s Mark Power, Spain’s Borja Virto, and England’s David Horsey all advanced, as did veteran American players Bo Hoag and Ollie Schniederjans.

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